Laser-written optical routing systems and method

ABSTRACT

One example includes an apparatus that includes a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports and a body portion. The plurality of I/O ports can be arranged at a plurality of peripheral surfaces of the body portion. The body portion includes a solid dielectric material having a substantially constant index of refraction. The body portion also includes parallel planar surfaces spaced apart by and bounded by the plurality of peripheral surfaces. The solid dielectric material in the body portion can be writable via a laser-writing process to form an optical waveguide extending between a set of the plurality of I/O ports.

BACKGROUND

Optical communications have become more prevalent as the demand forhigh-speed communication and processing has increased. Opticalcommunications typically implement a laser and/or other optical devicesfor providing and receiving optical signals. Datacenter networkstypically require the linking of optical cables (e.g., optical fibers)between optical devices, with the number of cables being potentially bevery large (e.g., numbering in the thousands). Such an arrangement of alarge number of optical cables can require optical shuffling or opticalrouting to interconnect a linear array of optical cables between inputand output planes of a given computer or optical system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a laser-writing system.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an optical device blank.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an optical routing device.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an optical routing system.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a receptacle in an optical routingsystem.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example of an optical routing system.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a method for fabricating an opticalrouting device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a laser-writing system 10. As describedherein, the laser-writing system 10 can be configured to fabricate oneor more optical routing devices 12 from one or more optical deviceblanks 14 via a laser-writing device 16. As described herein, an opticaldevice blank 14 refers to a stock component that can be mass-producibleto be selectively configured as an optical routing device 12 having anyof a variety of different predetermined optical routing configurationsbased on a laser-writing process. Therefore, the optical device blank 14can be manufactured without any a priori known or predetermined routingconfiguration, such that the optical routing configuration of anassociated optical routing device 12 can be selectively determined aftermanufacture of the optical device blank 14. Therefore, the opticaldevice blank 14 can be implemented in a highly scalable manner toimplement programmable optical routing systems in an inexpensive andon-demand manner.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an optical device blank 50. The opticaldevice blank 50 can correspond to the optical device blank(s) 14 in theexample of FIG. 1. Thus, the optical device blank 50 can be a stockcomponent that can be mass-producible to be selectively configured as anoptical routing device (e.g., one of the optical routing device(s) 12)having any of a variety of predetermined optical routing configurationsbased on a laser-writing process.

The optical device blank 50 includes a body portion 52 and plurality ofinput/output (I/O) ports 54 that are arranged to extend outwardly from aplurality of peripheral (e.g., edge) surfaces 56. In some examples, asshown in FIG. 2, the I/O ports are provided at each of the peripheralsurfaces 56. The body portion 52 can be a three-dimensional structuredefined by a pair of spaced-apart parallel planar surfaces, demonstratedas rectangular planes (e.g., square planes, as demonstrated in theexample of FIG. 2) in the XY-plane. The pair of parallel planar surfacesare separated by and bounded by the peripheral surfaces 56, such thatthe body portion 52 can be configured as a rectangular prism (e.g.,having a square cross-section taken along the XY-plane). In the exampleof FIG. 2, the I/O ports 54 are demonstrated as having equal numbers andspacing with respect to each of the peripheral surfaces 56 along whichthey are arranged. Thus, the arrangement of the I/O ports 54 withrespect to the body portion 52 is demonstrated as being symmetric aboutthree orthogonal planes (e.g., XY-plane, YZ-plane, and XZ-plane) througha geometric center of the optical device blank 50 to provide completeversatility for optical routing. In the example of FIG. 2, the opticaldevice blank 50 is demonstrated as keyed based on a bevel 57 having beenformed in the body portion 52 to enable receipt into a matingreceptacle, such as described herein.

The body portion 52 can be composed of a solid dielectric material thatis optically transmissive and has a substantially constant index ofrefraction. As an example, the body portion 52 can be formed from amolded plastic material, glass, a dielectric oxide material, or avariety of other materials having a substantially constant index ofrefraction throughout. The body portion 52 can thus be fabricated usinga variety of injection molding or other techniques that can provide fora very rapid and very inexpensive manner of mass producing a largequantity of optical device blanks 50.

As an example, the I/O ports 54 can be formed as part of the bodyportion 52 of the optical device blank 50. For example, the I/O ports 54can correspond to mechanical optical connectors into which opticalfibers can be plugged or to which optical fibers can be spliced. Thus,the body portion 52 can be fabricated (e.g., by machining) to includeoptical couplers on the peripheral surfaces 56 to which the I/O ports 54can be coupled. As another example, the I/O ports 54 can be molded ontothe body portion during an associated molding process to form the bodyportion 52. For example, the I/O ports 54 can be molded in apredetermined alignment that can correspond to a receptacle into whichan optical routing device that is fabricated from the optical deviceblank 50 based on the laser-writing process can be received. Therefore,the location of the I/O ports 54 can provide optical coupling of opticalsystems that are optically coupled to the receptacle into which theblank may be inserted, such that optical signals can pass between theoptical systems and one or more optical waveguides laser-written intothe body portion 52, as described herein, via the optical couplingbetween the receptacle and the I/O ports 54.

As yet another example, the I/O ports 54 can correspond directly to aperiphery of the material of the body portion 52, such that opticalsignals can coupled directly into the peripheral surfaces 56. Forexample, optical fibers associated with the I/O ports 54 can be separatefrom the body portion 52, such that the optical routing device that isfabricated from the optical device blank 50 can be snapped into thereceptacle that is substantially flush with the I/O ports to provideoptical signals directly to and from the peripheral surfaces 56 of thebody portion 52. Thus, the I/O ports 56 can be fabricated in a varietyof ways to optically couple optical signals to and from the opticalwaveguide(s) that are laser-written into the body portion 52.

In addition, in the example of FIG. 2, the I/O ports 54 each include amode-coupling device 58 to couple optical signals between the bodyportion 52 and the I/O ports 54. For example, the mode-coupling devices58 can be configured as lenses to focus optical signals into/out ofrespective optical waveguides that are formed in the body portion 52. Asan example, the mode-coupling devices 58 can be part of the respectiveI/O ports 54 configured as mechanical connectors. As another example,the mode-coupling devices 58 can be formed as part of the body portion52 (e.g., at the peripheral surfaces 56 of the body portion 52), or canbe provided between the peripheral surfaces 56 of the body portion 52and the I/O ports 54. Thus, based on the mode-coupling devices 58,optical signals can be mode-matched between the optical waveguidesformed in the body portion 52 and the respective I/O ports 54.

It is to be understood that the optical device blank 50 is not limitedto the example of FIG. 2. As an example, while the body portion 52 ofthe optical device blank 50 is demonstrated as a square prism, the bodyportion 52 can have any of a variety of three-dimensional shapes, suchas having a cross-sectional shape that is triangular, hexagonal, oroctagonal, having non-equal lengths of the peripheral surfaces 56 (e.g.,in a rectangular prism), or a variety of other configurations. Asanother example, the optical device blank 50 is not limited to includingI/O ports 54 on all of the peripheral surfaces 56, or having an equalnumber and/or spacing of I/O ports 54 on each of the peripheral surfaces56.

Additionally, as described previously, the optical device blank 50includes a key formed as a bevel 57 from a corner of the body portion 52to enable only a single manner of mounting a respective optical routingdevice formed from the optical device blank 50 in a corresponding matingreceptacle. While the keying is demonstrated as the bevel 57 in theexample of FIG. 2, it is to be understood that other types of keying canbe implemented, such as a notch, a ridge, or another structural featureformed on one or more of the peripheral surfaces 56 and/or the XY-planeparallel planar surfaces. Such a mating receptacle may include anassociated material having a shape that corresponds to the bevel 57, andthus can be designed to structurally mate with the bevel 57.Additionally, different keyed configurations can be implemented fordifferent optical device blanks designed for different applications(e.g., product specific keys). Furthermore, while the optical deviceblank 50 is demonstrated as including twenty-eight I/O ports 54 (e.g.,seven on each of the peripheral surfaces 56), it is to be understoodthat the optical device blank 50 can included more or less I/O ports 54than demonstrated in the example of FIG. 2. Accordingly, the opticaldevice blank 50 can be configured in any of a variety of ways.

Referring back to the example of FIG. 1, the laser-writing device 16includes a memory 18 that is configured to store one or more opticalrouting programs that are implemented by the laser-writing device 16 tolaser-write optical waveguides in the optical device blank(s) 14,thereby generating the optical routing device(s) 12. As describedherein, the term “laser-write” and derivatives thereof refer to a systemor method of forming an optical waveguide in a material via a focusedlaser that is moved along a length of the material at a given depth ofthe material. Thus, the focused laser beam changes (e.g., increases) arefractive-index along the length of the material relative to thesurrounding material to form an optical waveguide through which anoptical signal can propagate. As described herein, the optical deviceblank(s) 14 can include a body portion (e.g., the body portion 52) thatis formed of a solid material having a substantially constant refractiveindex throughout. Accordingly, the laser-writing device 16 can thusprovide a focused laser beam into a depth of the material of the bodyportion (e.g., along the Z-axis of the body portion 52) and that ismoved relative to the body portion (e.g., in the XY-plane of the opticaldevice blank 50) to form an optical waveguide between at least one setof two I/O ports (e.g., one or more pairs of the I/O ports 54) of theoptical device blank 14, thereby fabricating an associated opticalrouting device 12. For example, the movement of the focused laser beamrelative to the optical device blank 14 can be based on servo motorcontrols or a variety of other manual or automatically controlledmethods of moving the laser relative to the optical device blank 14.

In the example of FIG. 1, an optical routing program is demonstrated asprovided to the memory 18 via a signal OPT_PRG. As an example, thesignal OPT_PRG can represent a program being loaded into the memory 18for storage via an input device (e.g., a user interface, external drive,external memory system, etc.) or via a network connection. Thus, one ormore programs can be stored in the memory 18 and can be accessed toimplement a predetermined laser-writing process to fabricate one or moreoptical routing devices 12 from the optical device blanks 14. Forexample, the signal OPT_PRG may include machine readable instructions tocause the laser writing device 16 to laser-write one or more opticalwaveguides within the body portion 52 between one or more pairs of theI/O ports 54 of the optical device blank 50 in the example of FIG. 2.

For example, the laser-writing device 16 can be configured tolaser-write a plurality of the optical device blanks 14 into arespective plurality of substantially identical optical routing devices12 based on a single program stored in the memory 18. The program thatis stored in the memory 18 can be selectively modified, accessed, orrewritten to change the optical routing arrangement of a given set ofone or more optical routing devices 12 from a given set of opticaldevice blanks 14. As an example, the laser-writing device 16 canfabricate a first batch of substantially identical optical routingdevices 12 via laser-writing one or more optical waveguides in arespective batch of optical device blanks 14 based on a first opticalrouting program that is stored in the memory 18. Subsequently, anotheroptical routing program can be stored to the memory 18 (e.g., via thesignal OPT_PRG) and/or be accessed from the memory 18 to fabricate asecond batch of substantially identical optical routing devices 12 vialaser-writing one or more optical waveguides in another respective batchof optical device blanks 14, with the second batch of optical routingdevices 12 being different from the first batch of optical routingdevices 12. Therefore, the arrangement of optical waveguides can beprogrammatically configured for fabricating a given set of opticalrouting devices 12 from a common set of substantially identical opticaldevice blanks 14. In other words, the common set of substantiallyidentical optical device blanks 14 can be unspecific to any routingarrangement provided in the resultant optical routing devices 12.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of an optical routing device 100. Theoptical routing device 100 can be configured in any of a variety ofoptical communications and computer applications that require opticalsignal transfer. The optical routing device 100 is configured to routeoptical signals between sets of I/O ports via respective opticalwaveguides. The optical routing device 100 can thus provide opticalrouting or optical shuffling of optical signals between respective portsbased on the configuration of the optical waveguides that were formed inthe optical routing device via a laser-writing process. As an example,the optical routing device 100 can be formed from an optical deviceblank, such as the optical device blank 50 in the example of FIG. 2,that has undergone the laser-writing process (e.g., via thelaser-writing device 16 programmed as disclosed in the example ofFIG. 1) to form the optical routing device 100.

The optical routing device 100 includes a body portion 102 and pluralityof input/output (I/O) ports 104 that are arranged at a plurality ofperipheral surfaces 106. Based on the laser-writing procedure, the bodyportion 102 can have a plurality of optical waveguides 108 formedtherein. The optical waveguides 108 can extend in a variety ofnon-linear or linear paths between any two or more of the I/O ports 104.The optical waveguides 108 can extend from one of the peripheralsurfaces 106 to any other of the peripheral surfaces 106, or to an I/Oport 104 on the same peripheral surface 106. Additionally, similar to asdescribed previously in the example of FIG. 2, the optical routingdevice 100 includes a key formed as a bevel 107 from a corner of thebody portion 102 to enable only a single manner of mounting the opticalrouting device 100 in a corresponding mating receptacle.

As an example, one or more of the optical waveguides 108 can couple twoof the I/O ports 104. In another example, one or more of the opticalwaveguides 108 can be split to couple one of the I/O ports 104 to two ormore other of the I/O ports 104. Additionally, overlapping of opticalwaveguides 108 in the XY-plane can occur based on varying thelaser-writing depth along the Z-axis as to provide overlapping butnon-intersecting optical waveguides. For example, at least a portion ofthe optical waveguides are arranged at a different depth between theparallel planar surfaces defined by the XY-plane between and aroundwhich the peripheral surfaces 106 are arranged. Furthermore, the opticalrouting device 100 can include any number of optical waveguides 108formed in the body portion 102 between the I/O ports 104, as defined bythe associated program stored in the memory 18 of the laser-writingdevice 16 in the example of FIG. 1 and implemented during thelaser-writing process. For example, the optical routing device 100 caninclude optical waveguides 108 that can collectively extend between allof the I/O ports 104, or can include only a single waveguide 108 thatextends between two of the I/O ports 104, or can include any number ofI/O ports in-between.

In addition, similar to the example optical device blank 50 as describedin the example of FIG. 2, the I/O ports 104 each include a mode-couplingdevice 110 to couple optical signals between the body portion 102 andthe I/O ports 104. For example, the mode-coupling devices 110 can beconfigured as lenses to focus optical signals into/out of the respectiveoptical waveguides 108 that are formed in the body portion 102. As anexample, the mode-coupling devices 110 can be part of the respective I/Oports 104 configured as mechanical connectors. As another example, themode-coupling devices 110 can be formed as part of the body portion 102(e.g., at the peripheral surfaces 106 of the body portion 102), or canbe provided between the peripheral surfaces 106 of the body portion 102and the I/O ports 104. Thus, based on the mode-coupling devices 110,optical signals can be mode-matched between the optical waveguides 108and the respective I/O ports 104.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of an optical routing system 150. Theoptical routing system 150 can be implemented in any of a variety ofoptical communications and computer applications that require opticalsignal transfer. The optical routing system 150 includes a first opticalsystem 152, a second optical system 154, and at least one receptacle156. The first and second optical systems 152 and 154 can correspond toany of a variety of optical communications equipment, such as includinglaser(s), electro-optic modulators and demodulators, electroniccircuits, memory, photodiodes, or a variety of other communications,computing, and/or electronic components. As an example, the opticalrouting system 150 can include the receptacle(s) 156 only, such as tofacilitate optical coupling to the optical systems 152 and 154, and caninclude predetermined optical waveguides (e.g., optical fibers or othertypes of waveguides) that are coupled to the receptacle(s) 156 tofacilitate optical coupling of the configurable optical systems 152 and154 to the receptacle(s) 156.

The receptacle(s) 156 can each be configured to facilitate receipt ofand removal of an optical routing device that is fabricated from alaser-writing process, such as described herein. For example, thereceptacle(s) 156 can be configured to receive one or more opticalrouting devices 100, as demonstrated in the example of FIG. 3, with eachof the optical routing devices 100 having the same or a differentarrangement of optical waveguides 108 with respect to each other. In theexample of FIG. 4, the receptacle(s) 156 each include a plurality ofoptical ports 158 that are optically coupled with one or both of theoptical systems 152 and 154. As an example, the optical ports 158 can bearranged at a periphery of each of the receptacle(s) 156, such as toprovide optical connectivity to corresponding ports 104 of an opticalrouting device 100 that is received in the respective receptacle(s) 156.Therefore, upon receipt of an optical routing device in a respective oneof the receptacle(s) 156, the optical ports 158 can provide opticalconnectivity of the first optical system 152 with the second opticalsystem 154 via the optical waveguides of the optical routing devicereceived in the respective receptacle(s) 156.

As an example, the receptacle(s) 156 can correspond to a fitted bracketinto which the respective optical routing device(s) can be snapped intoplace, or can include mechanical coupling means (e.g., screws, bolts,pegs, or a variety of other types of fittings) to secure the mounting ofthe respective optical routing device(s) into the receptacle(s) 156. Inaddition, as described previously, the receptacle(s) 156 can be keyed,such as based on a shape of the periphery of the receptacle(s) 156 orbased on a location of the mechanical coupling means, to facilitate apredetermined orientation of the respective corresponding opticalrouting device. Furthermore, the receptacle(s) 156 can be configured toallow for subsequent removal of the optical routing device, such thatthe receptacle(s) 156 can be configured to receive a different opticalrouting device after installation of an initial optical routing device.Accordingly, the optical routing system 150 can be subsequentlyreprogrammable or field retrofit-capable, such as based on desiredchanges to the configuration of the optical systems 152 and 154 or otherassociated systems.

The optical ports 158 in a given receptacle 156 can be substantiallyaligned with the arrangement of I/O ports in an optical device blank(e.g., ports 54 of the optical device blank 50 in the example of FIG.2). As an example, the optical ports 158 can have an arrangement and aquantity that substantially matches the arrangement and quantity of theI/O ports (e.g., the I/O ports 54) of the optical device blank. Asdescribed previously, the optical ports 158 can also be opticallycoupled to at least one of the first and second optical systems 152 and154. Additionally or alternatively, some of the optical ports 158 canprovide optical connectivity between different respective ones of thereceptacles 156. Therefore, the optical ports 158 can facilitate opticalcoupling between the first optical system 152 and the second opticalsystem 154 via the optical waveguides of one or more optical routingdevices mounted in a respective one or more of the receptacle(s) 156based on the programmable routing arrangement of each of the opticalrouting devices (e.g., devices 100 of FIG. 3) received in thereceptacle(s) 156.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a receptacle 200 in an optical routingsystem (e.g., the optical routing system 150). The receptacle 200 isdimensioned and configured to enable receipt of and removal of anoptical routing device (e.g., the optical routing device 100) that hasbeen fabricated from a laser-writing process, such as described herein.In the example of FIG. 5, the receptacle 200 is defined by a volume 202that is surrounded by peripheral sidewalls 204 that are dimensioned toreceive an optical routing device (e.g., the optical routing device 100in the example of FIG. 3). For example, the peripheral sidewalls 204 canhave a depth dimension to receive the thickness of the optical routingdevice.

The receptacle 200 also includes a plurality of optical ports 206 thatare coupled to I/O port receptacles 208 that are arranged at theperipheral sidewalls 204. The I/O port receptacles 208 can bedimensioned to receive I/O ports along with receipt of the body portionof the corresponding optical routing device within the volume 202. Theoptical ports 206 can be implemented to facilitate optically couplingwith a variety of optical systems (e.g., the optical systems 152 and154). For example, the optical ports 206 can be configured as opticalfiber plugs, feed-throughs, or can be coupled to static opticalwaveguides to which optical systems can be coupled. In the example ofFIG. 5, the optical ports 206 are arranged as coupled to the I/O portreceptacles 208 of the receptacle 200, such as to provide opticalconnectivity to corresponding I/O ports (e.g., the I/O ports 104) of theoptical routing device (e.g., the optical routing device 100) that isreceived in the receptacle 200.

As an example, the optical ports 206 in the receptacle 200 can beelevated relative to depth of the peripheral sidewalls 204. Therefore,the optical ports 206 can be substantially aligned with the arrangementof I/O ports in an optical routing device (e.g., the optical routingdevice 100 in the example of FIG. 3) that is fabricated from an opticaldevice blank (e.g., the optical device blank 50 in the example of FIG.2). As an example, the optical ports 206 can have an arrangement and aquantity that substantially matches the arrangement and quantity of theI/O ports (e.g., the I/O ports 104) of the optical device blank.Therefore, regardless of the optical routing arrangement of the opticalrouting device received in the receptacle 200 (e.g., regardless of thenumber and connection of optical waveguides in the optical routingdevice), the receptacle 200 can provide optical connectivity to all ofthe I/O ports (e.g., the I/O ports 104) of the optical routing devicereceived therein. As an example, upon receipt of the respective opticalrouting device that has been fabricated from a respective optical deviceblank, the I/O ports of the optical routing device can be provided assubstantially flush with the optical ports 206, such as to provideoptical coupling between the I/O ports of the optical routing device andthe optical ports 206 without any additional mechanical connection orcoupling therebetween.

Additionally, as described previously, the receptacle 200 includes acorresponding key, demonstrated as a triangular mass 210 at the cornerof the volume 202. An optical routing device to be received in thereceptacle 200 can thus have a corresponding key structure (e.g., thebevel 107), such as based on the manufacture of the respective opticaldevice blank implemented to fabricate the optical routing device (e.g.,the bevel 57 of the optical device blank 50), to enforce a predeterminedorientation of the respective corresponding optical routing device. Asan example, instead of the triangular mass 210, the receptacle 200 caninclude a variety of other types of keying, such as based on a shape ofthe peripheral sidewalls 204 of the receptacle 200 or based on alocation of a mechanical coupling means (e.g., in the volume 202).Furthermore, the receptacle 200 can be configured to allow forsubsequent removal of the optical routing device. For example, thereceptacle 200 can have a fitted spring bracket coupling means to snapthe optical routing device in place, or can include mechanical fasteningmeans (e.g., screws, bolts, pins, etc.). Therefore, the receptacle 200can be configured to receive a different optical routing device afterinstallation of an initial optical routing device to facilitateflexibility and a capability to reconfigure associated optical systems.

FIG. 6 illustrates another example of an optical routing system 250. Theoptical routing system 250 can be implemented in any of a variety ofoptical communications and computer applications that require opticalsignal transfer. The optical routing system 250 includes a plurality ofoptical systems 252, demonstrated as eight optical systems 252 in theexample of FIG. 6, and a plurality of receptacles, demonstrated as afirst receptacle 254, a second receptacle 256, a third receptacle 258,and a fourth receptacle 260. Other numbers of optical systems andreceptacles could be implemented in an optical routing system than thatdemonstrated in the example of FIG. 6. The optical systems 252 cancorrespond to any of a variety of optical communications equipment, suchas including laser(s), electro-optic modulators and demodulators,electronic circuits, memory, photodiodes, or a variety of othercommunications, computing, and/or electronic components. As an example,the optical routing system 250 can include the receptacles 254, 256,258, and 260, such as to facilitate optical coupling to the opticalsystems 252, and can include predetermined optical waveguides (e.g.,optical fibers or other types of waveguides) that are coupled to thereceptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 to facilitate optical coupling of theconfigurable optical systems 252 to the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and260.

The receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 can each be configured tofacilitate receipt of and removal of respective optical routing devicesthat are each fabricated from a laser-writing process, such as describedherein. For example, the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 can each beconfigured to receive a respective optical routing device 100 in theexample of FIG. 3, with each of the optical routing devices 100 havingthe same or a different arrangement of optical waveguides 108 withrespect to each other.

In the example of FIG. 6, the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 eachinclude a plurality of optical ports 262. The optical ports 262 of thefirst receptacle 254 provide optical connectivity of the firstreceptacle 254 with a pair of the optical systems 252 (OPTICAL SYSTEM 1and 8), the second receptacle 256, and the fourth receptacle 260. Theoptical ports 262 of the second receptacle 256 provide opticalconnectivity of the second receptacle 256 with a pair of the opticalsystems 252 (OPTICAL SYSTEM 2 and 3), the first receptacle 254, and thethird receptacle 258. The optical ports 262 of the third receptacle 258provide optical connectivity of the third receptacle 258 with a pair ofthe optical systems 252 (OPTICAL SYSTEM 4 and 5), the second receptacle256, and the fourth receptacle 260. The optical ports 262 of the fourthreceptacle 260 provide optical connectivity of the fourth receptacle 260with a pair of the optical systems 252 (OPTICAL SYSTEM 6 and 7), thefirst receptacle 254, and the third receptacle 258.

For example, the optical ports 262 can be configured as optical fiberplugs, feed-throughs, or can be coupled to static optical waveguides toprovide a plurality of separate optical connections throughout theoptical routing system 250. Therefore, as described herein, based on theoptical ports 262, each of the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 canreceive a respective optical routing system to provide any arrangementof optical connectivity between any two or more of the optical systems252 in a programmable manner. For example, based on the programmableoptical routing arrangement of the respective optical routing devicesmounted in two or more of the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260, theoptical routing system 250 can route an optical signal from one of theoptical systems 252, through one or more of the optical routing devicesreceived in the respective receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260, to anyother of the optical systems 252 via the respective optical ports 262,the I/O ports of the respective optical routing devices, and throughrespective optical waveguides that have been laser-written into the bodyportion of the respective optical routing devices received therein.

Accordingly, the optical routing system 250 can provide a programmablemanner of optical routing between any of the optical systems 252.Additionally, the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 can each beconfigured to allow for subsequent removal of the respective opticalrouting devices, such that the receptacles 254, 256, 258, and 260 can beconfigured to receive different optical routing devices afterinstallation of initial optical routing devices. Accordingly, theoptical routing system 250 can be subsequently reprogrammable or fieldretrofittable, such as based on desired changes to the configuration ofthe optical systems 252 or other associated systems.

In view of the foregoing structural and functional features describedabove, an example methodology will be better appreciated with referenceto FIG. 7. While, for purposes of simplicity of explanation, themethodology of FIG. 7 is shown and described as executing serially, itis to be understood and appreciated that the present invention is notlimited by the illustrated order, as some embodiments could in otherembodiments occur in different orders and/or concurrently from thatshown and described herein.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a method 300 method for fabricating anoptical routing device (e.g., the optical routing device 100). At 302,an optical device blank (e.g., the optical device blank 50) comprising abody portion (e.g., the body portion 52) formed of a solid dielectricmaterial having a substantially constant index of refraction andcomprising a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports (e.g., the I/O ports54) arranged at a plurality of peripheral surfaces (e.g., the peripheralsurfaces 56) of the optical device blank is provided. At 304, apredetermined optical routing program (e.g., the signal OPT_PRG storedin the memory 18) is provided to a laser-writing device (e.g., thelaser-writing device 16) to implement a laser-writing process. At 306,an optical waveguide (e.g., an optical waveguide 108) is selectivelyformed in the body portion of the optical device blank between a set ofthe plurality of I/O ports via the laser-writing process based on thepredetermined optical routing program to provide the optical routingdevice.

What have been described above are examples. It is, of course, notpossible to describe every conceivable combination of components ormethods, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that manyfurther combinations and permutations are possible. Accordingly, theinvention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications,and variations that fall within the scope of this application, includingthe appended claims. Additionally, where the disclosure or claims recite“a,” “an,” “a first,” or “another” element, or the equivalent thereof,it should be interpreted to include one or more than one such element,neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. As usedherein, the term “includes” means includes but not limited to, and theterm “including” means including but not limited to. The term “based on”means based at least in part on.

1. An apparatus comprising a plurality of input/output (I/O) ports and abody portion, the plurality of I/O ports being arranged at a pluralityof peripheral surfaces of the body portion, the body portion comprisinga solid dielectric material having a substantially constant index ofrefraction, the body portion also comprising parallel planar surfacesspaced apart by and bounded by the plurality of peripheral surfaces, thesolid dielectric material in the body portion being writable via alaser-writing process to form at least one optical waveguide extendingbetween a set of the plurality of I/O ports.
 2. The apparatus of claim1, wherein a respective portion of the plurality of I/O ports isarranged on each of the plurality peripheral surfaces.
 3. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of I/O ports comprises amode-coupling device.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of theparallel planar surfaces are rectangular-shaped, and wherein each of theplurality of peripheral surfaces comprises an arrangement of theplurality of I/O ports having a quantity and spatial distribution thatare approximately equal relative to an opposite one of the plurality ofperipheral surfaces, such that the apparatus is symmetric about threeorthogonal axes intersecting at a geometric center.
 5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the body portion is keyed to facilitate receipt by areceptacle in a predetermined orientation.
 6. (canceled)
 7. A methodcomprising: providing an optical device blank comprising a body portionformed of a solid dielectric material having a substantially constantindex of refraction and comprising a plurality of input/output (I/O)ports arranged at a plurality of peripheral surfaces of the opticaldevice blank; storing a predetermined optical routing program in memoryof a laser-writing device, the optical routing program includinginstructions to cause the laser-writing device to implement alaser-writing process; and forming at least one optical waveguide in thebody portion of the optical device blank between a set of the pluralityof I/O ports via the laser-writing process based on the predeterminedoptical routing program to form an optical routing device.
 8. The methodof claim 7, wherein a respective portion of the plurality of I/O portsis arranged on each of the plurality peripheral surfaces of the opticaldevice blank.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein forming the at least oneoptical waveguide comprises forming a plurality of optical waveguideswithin the body portion, wherein at least a portion of the set of theplurality of optical waveguides are arranged at a different depthswithin the body portion between parallel planar surfaces of the opticaldevice blank and around which the plurality of peripheral surfaces arearranged.
 10. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined opticalrouting program comprises a first predetermined optical routing program,wherein forming the at least one optical waveguide comprises selectivelyforming a first set of optical waveguides in a first optical deviceblank between a respective set of the plurality of I/O ports via thelaser-writing process based on the first predetermined optical routingprogram to form a first optical routing device, the method furthercomprising: storing a second predetermined optical routing program inmemory of the laser-writing device; and selectively forming a second setof optical waveguides in a second optical device blank between a secondset of a plurality of I/O ports of the second optical device blank viaanother laser-writing process based on the second predetermined opticalrouting program to form a second optical routing device.
 11. The methodof claim 7, wherein forming the at least one optical waveguide comprisesselectively forming the at least one optical waveguide to extend in anon-linear manner to optically couple a first of the plurality of I/Oports on a first of the plurality of peripheral surfaces and a second ofthe plurality of I/O ports on a second of the plurality of peripheralsurfaces.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein the optical device blankcomprises parallel planar surfaces spaced apart from each other by theplurality of peripheral surfaces, the parallel planar surfaces eachbeing rectangular-shaped, and wherein each of the plurality ofperipheral surfaces comprises an arrangement of the plurality of I/Oports having a quantity and spatial distribution that is approximatelyequal relative to the arrangement of the plurality of I/O ports of anopposite one of the plurality of peripheral surfaces, such that theoptical device blank is symmetric about three orthogonal axesintersecting at a geometric center.
 13. An optical routing systemcomprising a receptacle dimensioned to facilitate receipt of and removalof the optical routing device fabricated from the method of claim 7,wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of optical ports that areoptically coupled with each of the plurality of I/O ports of the opticalrouting device when the optical routing device is received in thereceptacle to enable propagation of an optical signal through the atleast one optical waveguide.
 14. The optical routing system of claim 13,wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of receptacles that aredimensioned to facilitate receipt and removal of a respective pluralityof optical routing devices, wherein each of the plurality of receptaclesis optically coupled to enable propagation of the optical signal throughat least two of the plurality of optical routing devices based on the atleast one optical waveguide formed between respective ports in each ofthe at least two of the optical routing devices.
 15. An optical routingsystem comprising: an optical routing device that comprises an opticalwaveguide formed within a body portion of a corresponding optical deviceblank via a laser-writing process between a set of a plurality ofinput/output (I/O) ports arranged at a plurality of peripheral surfacesof the optical device blank, the body portion of the optical deviceblank being formed of a solid dielectric material having a substantiallyconstant index of refraction; and a receptacle that is facilitated tooptically couple to a plurality of optical systems, the receptacle beingdimensioned to facilitate receipt of and removal of the optical routingdevice therein, the receptacle comprising a plurality of optical portsto optically couple with each of the plurality of I/O ports of theoptical routing device when the optical routing device is mounted in thereceptacle to enable propagation of an optical signal through theoptical waveguide.